Guardian visits Laura

Following a scenic tour to tourist attraction Eneko Island and a visit to a church service at the United Church of Christ Sunday, journalists from the English newspaper the Guardian reached out to Laura Monday afternoon.

In order to capitalize on the purpose of their visit — to portray how the Marshallese community has spread out to places in the US such as Springdale, Arkansas due to economic and environmental issues — Environment Reporter Oliver Milman and filmmaker Mae Ryan had to find a personal angle for their story. 60-year old Marlyna Laibwij was the perfect subject.

Being a counselor at Laura High School for many years enabled Marlyna to be up to speed with the global view of climate change.

“Climate change is real,” she said in her filmed interview. “I’ve read about it in the news and I’ve heard repeated talk about it on the radio. And living here right by the ocean for more than 20 years, I’ve seen the changes firsthand and can personally attest to its impact on my family.”

Marlyna delivered a touching interview, one the Guardian reporters hoped to find on their brief trip to Majuro.

Read more about this in the June 17, 2016 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.